Nico Rosberg predicts Verstappen/Leclerc rivalry could ignite in second half of the season

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc’s rivalry could ignite in the second half of the campaign according to Nico Rosberg.

Verstappen and Leclerc are the top two in the Drivers’ standings at the moment, with Max leading the way from Charles, who won last time out in Austria.

Indeed, Ferrari have won the last two Grands Prix to breathe a bit of life into the two championship battles, and some would suggest the Scuderia actually have the quicker-looking car – though it is a real coin flip between them and Red Bull in that regard.

The championship looks set to go to and fro for the rest of the season, then, but with Max having a decent cushion in the standings, you would suggest that it’s a rivalry, currently, that is not as tense as the one between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton last year.

Indeed, when Max and Charles have gone wheel-to-wheel this season there has been little in the way of contact or flashpoints, and there is clearly a healthy respect between the two, but that is something that Nico Rosberg cannot see lasting:

Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Rosberg said when asked if the cordial nature of the campaign had shocked him:

“Honestly, that surprises me massively.

“They have gone wheel-to-wheel so much and so intensely and there has never been a discussion moment or anything.

“It has been a huge surprise, but I would bet – probably even my house – that it is not going to last the whole season.

“The amount of times they go wheel-to-wheel, there must come a moment where there will be some wheel-banging or different opinions on an incident.

“Let’s see. As a fan, we want to see things heating up a bit more but I am sure we will get that soon.”